Staying Healthy and Strange Things at the Ranch

November is one of my favorite times here in Texas. Yes, spring is lovely with the wildflowers, but after a long, hot summer, the cooler temperatures are such a welcome reprieve that you just want to be outside. For those of you in the north who look forward to spring after a long winter, that's how fall is for us. But lately, I've been noticing some strange things.

Our Mexican Heather is still in full bloom, which isn't so strange, but seeing it covered in honey bees is. For the past month, it has been inundated. You go out on the patio and you hear the low hum of the bees. It's kind of cool and creepy at the same time. But as long as they leave me alone, they're welcome to hang around.

And then the other day I was sitting in my thinking chair in my office when I saw something white on the magnolia tree outside. As in a flower. But magnolias bloom in the spring. So I went to investigate.

Some new shoots had grown out of the trunk and, apparently, they didn't realize it's November.

I'm surprised the bees hadn't found that.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, we've been trying to keep things on the lighter side. Or at least low-carb. And since hubby is convinced that he loses a pound every time we have salmon for dinner, we've been eating it once or twice a week. And my favorite side for salmon is asparagus.

There are so many good things about this meal. Not only does it help our waistlines, but because it's all cooked on the grill, there's almost no cleanup. However, if you don't have a grill, you can roast them in a 400 degree oven.

The asparagus is so simple. Just rinse and trim your spears. Put them in a lidded container and drizzle with some olive oil.

Then add some lemon pepper, which is the same seasoning I use on my salmon so they pair perfectly.

Put the lid on and tossed everything. Then throw it on the grill either while the salmon is cooking or afterward. Depending on the thickness of the stalks, it takes 3-5 minutes per side. You want them tender, but not completely limp. And a little bit of color is nice, too.

This is a perfect pairing all the way around. And since our eating will soon lapse into the indulgent category for a brief time, healthy and waist-trimming is a very good thing.

What strange things are going on where you are?

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com

Trying New Things

Missy Tippens

I hope you're all staying well. I have to say that over the last two weeks, I've been doing much better with my eating habits. I think the secret to this change is that I've stocked up on frozen vegetables. So now I always have something healthy to go with leftovers or sandwiches or even...

A simple baked potato!

I microwaved a russet potato (it took about 7 or 8 minutes, I think), then sliced it in half. I had leftover mixed veggies from the night before. I've found a mix that I absolutely love. It's Birdseye Steamfresh Gold and White Corn, Carrots and Asparagus. Some of my favorites!

I also added light cheddar cheese and fat-free plain Greek yogurt. That's a big pile of yogurt! But I'm trying to eat more calcium. And the plain Greek yogurt tastes just like sour cream to me. My favorite brand is Fage.

[Side note: one way I'm eating more plain Greek yogurt is by mixing it with almond butter and sometimes a bit of Truvia.]

One last thing to share. It's not as healthy, but certainly VERY delicious!!

My daughter and I saw this special limited time pizza offer at Your Pie the other night and ordered it for curbside pickup. I can't begin to tell you how good this was!!

Peach and prosciutto with basil and a honey balsamic glaze drizzle. Came also with mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan.

If you're making pizza home sometime, I can vouch for how well these ingredients go together. (Or look for a Your Pie near you.) :)

Happy cooking to all of you!

Missy
www.missytippens.com

Recharging our immune systems, part one

Jan here, talking about our immune systems.

I’m not a doctor, and I don’t play one on TV, but I have been thinking about this subject for the past few years. 

That’s when I started getting very tired of the yearly flu/cold/virus that knocked me out for two weeks every winter. And the weekly round of exposure to the germ-factories (my pre-school Sunday School students) and a day of feeling lousy every Thursday (three to four days after being exposed to the germ-factories.) The next week it would happen again. All winter long. Add seasonal allergies on top of that and you’ve got a good idea of what my life was like.

The last thing I wanted to do was to pump my body full of medicines. Decongestants, antihistamines, pain killers… Yes, I took them all on a daily basis, just to keep my allergies and colds from turning into sinus infections or bronchitis.

And I was miserable. But no longer! What changed? I started working on restoring my immune system naturally. I read theories from different medical organizations and some not-as-medical well-meaning folks, and I used my common sense. I learned a lot.

In our current situation with the Covid-19 virus, I’ve been concerned about my friends and family throughout the country. It seems that a lot of things we are doing are counter intuitive. But most concerning is that someday we’ll go back to normal life and be exposed to other people again. However, our bodies – our immune systems - won’t be prepared. We'll be the perfect target for every germ out there.

Think about it – how many germs (viruses and bacteria) have you been exposed to in the last three months? Through isolating ourselves from the Covid-19 virus, we’ve also isolated ourselves from all the other viruses and bacteria…even the good ones. And that can serve to deplete our natural immunity to the germs that used to surround us every day.

I’ve learned some simple tools that can help us prepare our immune systems for the future. I’m sharing the biggest one today, and I’ll go through the rest of them next Monday.

1) Eat a healthy diet.

This is a “duh” moment, right? We all know a healthy diet is important for a healthy life. Foods can help give your immune system a boost - foods rich in Vitamin A, C, E, B6 and B12, zinc, folate, iron, selenium, copper…the list goes on. I’m not saying you need to memorize the nutrients in all the foods you eat. A healthy diet is much easier than that.

The best way (best because it’s so easy you’ll stick to it) is to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, quality protein, and healthy fats like butter, coconut oil, and olive oil.

A very important thing to remember, though, is to not gorge yourself on any one food. Just because I CAN eat butter doesn’t mean that I down a cup of it a day. A half teaspoon of butter on a serving of steamed broccoli helps make the vitamins in the vegetable more accessible to my body, so I enjoy the bit of butter on my veggies.

The key to getting the large variety of nutrients in our diet is to eat a large variety of foods. Simple? Yes. Fruits and veggies are high in vitamins and antioxidants, which help prevent inflammation. Meat, including red meat, has a lot of quality protein, along with micro-nutrients you can’t get in any other foods.

We've all done our research. We need to use our common sense, eat the foods we enjoy, branch out to try unfamiliar foods once in a while, and eat a varied diet. That practice should supply almost all the vitamins and minerals we need.

But one nutrient isn’t readily available in food. Our bodies manufacture it easily, but there’s a catch. We need sunshine to do it. If you live in the northern hemisphere, there are very few months that the sun’s rays are strong enough to allow our bodies to produce enough vitamin D. On sunny days I make sure I get some sun exposure (10-20 minutes with no sunscreen is not a recipe for skin cancer but for increased health!) In the winter months I take a vitamin D3 supplement.

Here are some foods that can give our immune systems an extra boost:


Berries, especially blueberries

Berries are high in vitamins and fiber, but blueberries have a type of flavonoid called anthocyanin. In a 2016 study (you can read it here,) researchers found that flavonoids appear to play an essential role in the upper respiratory tract's immune defense system.

Dark Chocolate

Okay, this one is a bit controversial. I've heard that the studies claiming the antioxidant benefits of dark chocolate weren't good ones...but hey. I'm going with it. Because even if dark chocolate doesn't provide all the health benefits those studies said it did, it appears that there are some antioxidants in it. Besides, the darker the chocolate, the less sugar you're adding to your diet. I call that a win/win.

Turmeric

We've talked about this one before in the Cafe. High in curcumin, turmeric can improve our bodies' immunity. Turmeric is also an anti-inflammatory and full of antioxidants.

Oily Fish

Salmon, tuna, and other oily fish are a great source of Omega-3's. Much of our diet is overbalanced with Omega-6, and we need Omega-3 to bring it back into balance.

Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables

Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts...all these vegetables are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. Some other veggies with the same benefits are kale, arugula, cabbage, bok choy, etc.

Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

These veggies are high in beta carotene, the antioxidant that give them their orange color. Beta carotene is a good source of vitamin A.

Spinach and other leafy greens

These veggies are high in vitamin C. Beware of eating too much raw spinach since it can lead to a build-up of oxalic acid. So eat your spinach in salads, but also cooked. I use frozen spinach (slightly cooked as it is blanched) in my smoothies to add green power.


I've suggested only a few of the many ways foods can boost our immune systems. What are some of your favorites?

Next week we'll look at other ways we can use our lifestyles to boost our immune system. Here's to good health!

*all photos courtesy of PicMonkey

Jan Drexler is an author by day who is addicted to counted cross stitch and sauntering through the Hills with her dear husband and their puppies - goofy corgi Jack and growing-fast border collie Sam. You can find Jan's books and other fun things on her website: www.JanDrexler.com.

Kale Salad for Staying Healthy?

On Monday, Jan posted about healthier eating. That's been on my mind as well. 1/3 of my students were out sick today, so I definitely am looking for healthier foods to hopefully ward off illness.

I've also been eating a lot of comfort and convenient food. The problem is, though it's convenient to make, and comforting to eat, it leads to a not so comfortable feeling when the clothes get tight and the stairs get harder to climb.

When your body starts balking at cookies and actually is craving green stuff - you know it's serious!

So tonight I decided to try something health(ier). I've actually been looking forward to it all day.

I started out with my go-to salad base - Glory kale that I blanched and chilled.

Next up - some leftover (takeout) beef brisket. I need the protein after a day with over 90 middle schoolers!



I saw frozen beets at the supermarket and decided to give them a try because beets seemed to go with steak in my salad!

Mandarin oranges - because all the sick kids means I need Vitamin C in megadoses.

Pomegranate arils - because I love any excuse to add them in. Love me some poms.

Some people think these are a lot of work, but honestly, it took me 5 minutes to turn this

into this

Sunflower seeds - I just love the crunch these give and they have a whole boatload of nutritional goodness. (How's that for being specific?) Also because my local store stopped carrying my favorite brand, so I ordered through Amazon. I guess I didn't read carefully enough because I got a huge bag with lots of smaller bags inside!

Confession time -  I added croutons because - well I love croutons and (mostly) everything else is healthy.

And - VOILÁ

And just in case that's not enough to ward off the assorted germs, I picked up this at the drugstore. Seemed worth a try!

It's All in the Presentation, Right?

Nothing as dramatic today as Mindy's post was yesterday.

Today we have peaceful and pretty.

I love looking at the flowers while I'm walking Fenway.

Aren't daisies just happy-looking flowers? So cheerful.

And these beautiful pink roses.

Tonight we had a gorgeous sunset. I wish I'd had my camera handy on Friday because the sunset was absolutely, insanely beautiful - the kind that makes the whole sky and even inside the house glow because of the intensity of it.

God in all his glory.

But the food treat was man-made.

I thought you would appreciate seeing this. Over the weekend, my daughters and I traveled to PA for a memorial mass for my husband on Saturday. On Sunday, we were on the lookout for a place to enjoy brunch where the vegan daughter could find something before her flight took her away.

Success!

She found an adorable little place. It turned out to be run by a super health conscious young couple,  recent immigrants from the Czech Republic who are determined to make the healthiest eating experience around. They were so dang cute and conscientious.

Daughter #1 had jerk chicken and their special gluten-free waffles. (Everything was gluten-free).
I had the waffles with blueberries.  I have to admit, the waffles were extraordinarily good tasting, but they didn't look all that different from any other homemade Belgian style whole grain waffles.

What struck my fancy was the vegan daughter's smoothie bowl.  Isn't this adorable?

Ha! It wasn't lost on me that my mother would not have approved of the plumeria in the food (if you recall my honeysuckle debacle post!)

The smoothie bowl was called Ocean View.

The blue green water came courtesy of spirulina, banana, and vanilla. The sand was a nutty granola, and the whitecaps were a delicious coconut cream.

They also had smoothie bowls called Oktoberfest and Flamingo Lake. I'm sort of dying of curiosity to know what those look like.


Now seriously, most smoothie bowls have everything pretty much tossed together. The extra artistic care these guys took really impressed me and made me hyper aware of how little effort I put into presentation. So I figured I'd ask you.

Do you go the extra mile in presentation? All the time or just on special occasions? Interested minds would like to know (and maybe alleviate some guilt?).



I'll leave you with a sweet moment. Sun-dappled kitty.

Cool Summer Lunches for a Hot Summer Day

Last Maine pictures for awhile (well until next week anyway).

It got stormy when we were ready to leave.

So we got home late Saturday and I've been in workshops for school for the last three days.

All together now - no cooking being done.

That's not entirely true, but I doubt anyone really wants recipes for hamburgers and gravy which is my dear husband's Monday staple.


But good news - this workshop I've been attending - they're giving us really good food!

I wish I'd thought to take a photo before eating yesterday, but I think the recipe is easy enough to figure out.

They had salads, including a delicious pasta salad with olives, sandwiches, and wraps. The wrap is  my focus.

Quinoa, Couscous and Corn with a bit of cilantro and dried cranberries. All wrapped together.

I didn't eat much of the wrap itself, it was nothing special. But the inside was delicious. On a brutally hot day here, the chilled couscous, corn and quinoa mix was perfect. The corn gave it a little crunch, the grains were filling, and the sprinkling of dried cranberries was just the right touch of sweetness.

My only complaint was the cilantro - too strong.

I was hoping we'd get the same lunch today so I could figure out if there was any dressing, but we got a salad instead.

I did remember to take a photo.

Quinoa, Couscous, tomatoes, cucumbers, and mint on a bed of spinach.

Refreshing and light on a hot day!

And just for fun since there is corn in the first recipe - my neighborhood "corn field" is thriving.

A sunflower hiding amidst the corn stalks.

Confession time - I'm not a huge fan of the taste of quinoa, but mixed with the couscous it was delicious.

How's your summer going?

Welcome Guest Jolene Navarro and her Roasted Blue Cauliflower

Hello, Yankee Belle Café. I’m Jolene Navarro and I’m honored to be a guest. Thank you Cate Nolan for hosting me today.

I was going to share one of my smoothies, (I have become an addict) but roasted cauliflower has popped up in four separate conversations this week. I’m going to share the recipe that has my teenage boys mad when they come back for seconds, but it’s already gone. Yes, I have had to start roasting two heads of cauliflower to keep everyone happy.

It’s really simple, which is key in my life. I teach High School art and write just about every day.  The boys have been known to fix it on their own when I’m on a deadline.

There are many nutritional experts that say cauliflower, along with broccoli is one of the healthiest foods nature provides.

Here are a few reasons why: It is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of choline, dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, manganese, phosphorus, and biotin. Additionally, gives us a dose of vitamin B2, protein, vitamin B1, niacin, and magnesium. WOW – if you’re not eating it you should be, right?

I have been known to chop it up into a smoothie.

 The trick is we want food that excites us and taste good. That’s why it has become a favorite in our house.

We use purple cauliflower when we find it, but any color works.

Why purple? It has the same nutrients found in white cauliflower. However, purple cauliflower will provide you with a couple of other nutritional benefits. The purple color come from a subtype of flavonoid compounds called anthocyanins, (trust me it’s good) which is reported to regulate your blood lipid and sugar levels and body weight, (what’s not to love about that?) It may also help to lower your cancer risk.

Here is how we cook Roasted Parmesan, Parsley & Purple Cauliflower is the Casa de Navarro.

A head (or two) of Purple Cauliflower

1 tsp fresh Parsley (or two)

1 tbsp olive oil for each head

Salt to taste (I love grinding Himalayan Pink Sea Salt)

Freshly grounded black pepper

½ cup or a cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400

Slice the cauliflower florets like mushrooms. Toss in the olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper. Make sure each slice is coated. I use a stone, but a cookie sheet will work (parchment paper makes it a bit crisper if you use a cookie sheet ad easier clean up - yay).  Spread them out evenly.

Place in the oven. At 45 minutes turn over and sprinkle cheese over the slices. Let cook for another 5 to 10 min. It is meant as a side dish, but it also makes a great snack.

                Maybe share it with family and friends over the Memorial Day weekend.

There is one last think I want to share with you. Because Memorial Day is upon us, I’m sharing a page from my grandfather’s WWII diary. Forrest F. French kept a diary during his time serving with 7th Div. Co. K 184th Infantry. Okinawa. He return home but was killed in an accident way before I was born, but because of his ( illegal ) diary I got to know him a bit and a little of the men he served with. Many didn't make it back home. These words are straight from his diary. 

May 18 1945.
Everyone calls me Tex or Eagle Eye. As it seems I am one of the best shots in the Co. I have my name Texas Kid carved on my rifle. The new guys can't seem to understand yet why we are cleaning our rifles and oiling them all the time. They will soon find out that it is your most dearest friend when we move up. 
May 25, 1945. 
I got a piece of grenade in my right thigh, but it just barely stuck in. Has rain for three days non-stop. We have to go back about 2 miles for ammo and rations. Snipers all along the way back. Wish they would get them cleaned out.
May 28 1945
We will push off to take the cliffs this noon. It is going to be rough as we have to cross a wide valley. Will be at their mercy. As they will be above us. Don't know how much longer I will last.
June 5 1945.....I am now in charge of the squad. I wish I weren't for it is a great responsibility. Only 5 of us are left. 

Have a blessed weekend and remember the ones that gave all.

 

A seventh generation Texan, Jolene knows that, as much as the world changes, people stay the same. Good and evil. Vow-keepers and heart breakers. Jolene married a vow-keeper who showed her that dancing in the rain never gets old.

She uses her art degree to teach inner city kids about the world and they teach her about life. 

When she’s not in the studio or hanging out with her family, she loves creating worlds of strong heroes and powerful heroines who find love in spite of the obstacles they face. (Actually even then she’s getting ideas for the next story) She is currently working on her sixth Clear Water Book for Harlequin’s Love Inspired. Her fourth book, A Soldier’s Surprised Family, will be released August 23

Jolene can be found online, where she loves to make new friends and chat about life.

 https://www.facebook.com/jolenenavarrowriter/       https://jolenenavarrowriter.com/

Jolene's books:

The Soldier’s Surprise Family - September 2016
A Texas Christmas Wish, Love Inspired - October 2015
Lone Star Holiday & Lone Star Hero   now available

Dessert for Breakfast: Cashew Chia Pudding from Cafe Guest Michelle Karl

Dessert for Breakfast: Cashew Chia Pudding – Michelle Karl

Thank you so much to Yankee Belle Café and Cate Nolan for hosting me today!

Now, I am not a morning person. I’m one of those people who needs to set two alarms: one next to the bed and one on the other side of the room that forces me to get up to turn it off. Often, I’ll set a third alarm too, by which I mean I tell my husband “make sure I’m up by 7:30am” or the like.

Guess how many times I still hit the snooze button? Guess how many times my husband has to come into the room and “wake me up” before I finally tumble out of bed moaning for coffee like a brain-starved zombie?

If you guessed any number greater than two, you win—and uh, I guess I lose. Anyway, what this means is I’m always running behind in the mornings, and I’m one of those people who absolutely needs to eat breakfast or else I’ll feel cruddy for the rest of the day. I need something for breakfast that will provide sustainable energy while also motivating me to actually eat it despite running behind.

Cue…chia pudding! Now, I know you’re going, “Michelle, we already know about chia pudding, it’s nothing new…dump some chia seeds into almond milk or coconut milk overnight and Bob’s your uncle.” Yes, yes. I, too, love myself a nut milk or coconut milk based chia pudding. But what if we could include all that fiber, all that protein, and still come out the other side with a delicious breakfast pudding?

One of my favorite food bloggers is Elana of Elana’s Pantry (https://elanaspantry.com/raw-tapioca-pudding/), and today I’m sharing one of her recipes that I use regularly. I had to try it to believe it could work, but once I made it…I was hooked.

It begins with one cup of raw cashews. Place them in a bowl of water and soak for a few hours (no longer) to soften. This will make the cashews soft enough to blend and become creamy. Discard the soaking water.

Elana’s recipe recommends three cups of water, but I found that made the dish too runny. I use a maximum of two cups filtered water. Add water and cashews to a blender. It will help to have a high-powered blender, but even a regular blender or food processor should be okay with soaked cashews.

Then I cheat, because the original recipe says to blend the cashews and water first before adding the other ingredients. Who has time for that? Go ahead and dump in your honey (I use raw), vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Blend. Oooh, frothy!

 

 

 

Pour into a jar. I use an old honey jar because it’s the perfect size. Then I take my chia seeds, pour them in the jar on top (I add more than the quarter cup the original recipe calls for, because I prefer a denser pudding), replace the lid and shake! 

What I find is that because the cashews are much thicker than using a store-bought almond milk or coconut milk, the chia seeds don’t all sink to the bottom and clump up. I rarely have to shake it more than once before putting it into the fridge for the next day.

By the time morning comes, I have a delicious, creamy, dessert-like pudding for breakfast—you could even add some fresh berries, sliced almonds, or coconut flakes for some extra oomph. My husband eats this breakfast up almost as fast as I do—which is probably why he doesn’t complain too much if he has to wake me up five times before I crawl out of bed. Breakfast is already waiting!

I met Michelle when we sold to our mutual editor - the wondrously talented Emily Rodmell - through the Killer Voices contest. Michelle's second book is out this month.